The present invention relates generally to apparatus for mounting blinds within arched windows and drawing the blind across the window to block some or all of the visibility through the arched window. More specifically, the present invention relates to a shade for an arched window including an arched track with a movable carriage and a shade member attached to the carriage.
Many new buildings and homes are designed with arched windows or Palladian style windows and doors. Today, there are several types of coverings available for arched windows, but many tend to be either permanently fixed, that is, not retractable, or they are manually opened and closed. While several retractable style arched window covers are currently commercially available, these designs lack aesthetic appeal, which can severely diminish their value as a decorative item, or they are too cumbersome to use, especially for larger diameter arched windows. Due to design limitations, retractable window coverings are not available for arched windows having relatively large diameters. In addition, the mechanisms may be relatively complex or unattractive.
Consequently, there remains a need for a retractable shade assembly having a cover that can be remotely operated in order to open or close the cover. Preferably, the covering hides the unattractive mechanical elements of the invention that are in plain view to give it an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The covering may be capable of diffusing or blocking sunlight while the covering is in the closed position. Furthermore, the covering preferably accomplishes these goals using a relatively simple mechanical assembly, and with shade members that are readily available with little or no modification.
Conventional approaches exist for using cellular or pleated blinds designed for use with rectangular windows to provide a window covering for arched windows. There are some issues with simply fixing such a blind in an arched window and drawing one corner of the blind around the outer arch of the window. Blinds may tear or distort and improvements to the manner in which a rectangular cellular blind is mounted within an arched window are desirable.